Unitary aerosol mounting cap expander

ABSTRACT

A unitary aerosol mounting cap expander, adapted to provide uniform crimping and sealing of an aerosol valve mounting cap in an aerosol container by interaction of inner and outer leaves in a unitary element on actuation thereof, to thereby form a circumferentially uniform leak-proof seal for an aerosol dispenser.

United States Patent 1 Bennett 11 1 3,757,717 451 Sept. 11,1973

1 1 UNlTARY AEROSOL MOUNTING CAP EXPANDER [75] Inventor: Ronald Bennett,Livingston, NJ.

[73] Assignee: Fluid Chemical Company, 1nc., Newark, NJ

221 Filed: June 8, 1971 [21] 'Appl. No.: 151,098

[52] US. Cl. 113/18 E, 113/1 E, 53/330 [51] Int. Cl 321d 37/00 [58]Field of Search 113/1 N, 1 E, 18 C,

Primary Examiner-Charles W. Lanham Assistant Examiner-M. J. KeenanAttorney-Sommers & Sommers [57] ABSTRACT A unitary aerosol mounting capexpander, adapted to provide uniform crimping and sealing of an aerosolvalve mounting cap in an aerosol container by interaction of inner andouter leaves in a unitary element on actuation thereof, to thereby forma circumferentially uniform leak-proof seal for an aerosol dispenser.

6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS2,958,170 11/1960 Mayer, Jr 53/330 PATENTED 5E?! 1 sum 1 or 3- Ill llllllllll 30 FIG. 1

INVENTOR.

RONALD BENNETT BY m M ATTORNEYS PAIENIEH EN sum 2 or a Q M If I Z yATTORNEYS Pmminm m sum am 3 FIG. 4'

FIG 6 llll INVENTOR.

RONALD BENNETT ATTORNEYS UNITARY AEROSOL MOUNTING CAP EXPANDERBACKGROUND OF INVENTION This invention relates generally to sealingdevices,

and more specifically relates to a unitary aerosol mounting cap expanderwhich provides uniform sealing of an aerosol valve mounting cap in anaerosol container by forming a complete circumferential crimp sealtherein.

Pursuant to the invention, the aerosol mounting cap expander may beoperated conveniently and efficiently to enable unitary coordinatedoperation on an aerosol mounting cap to provide efficient sealingthereof. Heretofore, sealing for aerosol valves has been accomplished bysegmented crimping of thecap and reliance upon metal flow to fill thegaps. This method resulted inuneven sealing of the cap, and gaps andblankings in the seal, which enabled slow microleakages of pressurizedpropellant from the container, resulting in serious loss of pressure andfailure of product pressurization.

through use of an aerosol mounting cap expander operable, as will bedescribed below, so that uniform seal crimping occurs thereby to form acircumferentially secure seal without blankings or spaces therein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The invention is diagrammaticallyillustrated, byway of example, in the appended drawings, wherein similarreference characters indicate like parts, in which:

FIG. l is an isometric view of a unitary aerosol mounting cap expanderembodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevational sectional view of the unitary aerosol mountingcap expander positioned in the actuation means, above the aerosolcontainer in nonactuated position, pursuant to the invention;

FIG. 3 is a similar view thereof, with the unitary aerosol mounting capexpander positioned in the actuation means in the aerosol container innon-actuated registered position; i FIG. 4isa similar view thereof, inactuated position;

FIG. 5 is an end view of a unitary aerosol mounting cap expander innon-actuated position; and

FIG. 6 is a similar view thereof in actuated position.

- DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In accordance with the preferredmode of practicing the invention, the unitary aerosol mounting capexpander 1 1 (FIGS. 1, 5 and 6) for example, comprises ahollow unitarycollet member with a collar portion 20, a plurality of outer leaves 21and inner leaves 22, and a plurality of slots 23 therebetween, and isactuated by actuation means 12,;which are shown in sequential operation(FIGS. 2, 3 and 4) on an aerosol valve mounting cap ,M in an aerosolcontainer C to form a circumferentially uniform seal. The actuationmeans 12 comprises for example, a frame 30 with bell guide portion 31and valve nest portion 32, and an expander plug member 33. i

In operation, the unitary aerosol mounting cap expander 11 (FIG. 2)collar portion 20 is engaged in the actuator frame 30, and the outerleaves 21 and inner leaves 22 are in non-actuated positions (FIGS. 1 and5) with the inner leaves 22 in a non-actuated position between and inback of the outer leaves 21 in the slots 23; the aerosol valve mountingcap M has been placed in the top of the aerosol container C, and theactuator expander plug member 33 is in non-actuation position. Theactuator means 12 (FIG. 3) then moves into registered position withrespect to the aerosol valve mounting cap M and aerosol container Cwhereby the bell guide portion 31 contacts the container side and thevalve nest 32 contacts the valve mounting cap top; the actuator expanderplug member 33 remains in nonactuation position. The actuation means 12(FIG. 4) is then actuated by movement of the expander plug member 33(which is generally piston-shaped with a tapered forward portion in thisembodiment) through the unitary aerosol mounting cap expander 11, whichthereby forces the inner leaves 22 into the slots 23 (FIG. 5), and movesthe inner'leaves 22 and outer leaves 21 in a uniform crimping motionwith respect to the aerosol valve mounting cap M to thereby provide auniform circumferential leak-proof seal of the mounting cap M to thecontainer C by uniform sealing of the mounting cap inneredge. Theactuation means 12 is then deactuated by withdrawal of the expander plugmember 33 back into the actuator housing and the unitary mounting capexpander 11 returns to its non-actuated condition with the inner leaves22 depending between and in back of the outer leaves 21 in the slots 23.By virtue of the uniform circumferential seal provided, the opportunityfor pressurization gasses to escape is. greatly reduced with theelimination of spacing in thecrimping operation which had beenheretofore a major problem with the segmented crimping apparatuspreviously utilized.

While the present invention has been particularly set forth in terms ofspecific embodiments thereof, it will be evident in view of the instantd.isclosure,.that numerous variations upon the invention are now enabledto those skilled in the art, which variations in propriety are yetwithin the true scope of this teaching. 'Accordingly, the invention isto be broadly construed, and limited only by the scope and spirit ofthe'claims now appended hereto. a

I claim:

1. An aerosol mounting cap expander apparatus for securing an aerosolvalve mountingcap to an interior offset end surface of a container, incontinuous, circumferential, pressure-sealed contact therewith, saidapparatus comprising:

an elongated collet member,

a plurality of outer leaf portions on the collet member disposed incircular relation. and spaced from each other to define intermediateslot portions so that said outer leaf portionswill thereby define aninterrupted and nonsolid circle,

a plurality of inner leaf portions on said collet member inwardly ofsaid outer leaf portions,

said inner leaf portions being spaced from each other to defineintermediate slot portions so that said inner leafportions will definean interrupted and nonsolid circle of smaller diameter than that definedby the outer leaf portions,

and an elongated plug member positioned at one end of said apparatus,for axial movement in said apparatus interiorly of said inner leafportions,

said plug member being so proportioned that it may be moved to engagethe inner leaf portions and move the same progressively into the slotsdefined between the outer leaf portions, to form therewith a continuouscircle of leaves to engage the aerosol valve mountingcap and therebyroll the same onto said ,end surface of the container in continuous,sealed relation therewith.

2. in an aerosol mounting cap expander apparatus as set forth in claim1,

said plug member and inner leaf portions having complementarily formedportions such that, when said plug member is so moved in said inner leafportions, said plug member will so engage and move said inner leafportions into the slots defined between the outer leaf portions.

3. In an aerosol mounting cap expander apparatus as set forth in claim1, said inner and outer leaves being formed complementarily forinterfitting relation, to so form a continuous, unbroken circle when theplug member so moves the inner leaf members into the slots intermediatethe outer leaf members.

4. in an aerosol mounting cap expander apparatus as set forth in claim1, said inner and outer leaves being formed of complementary wedge shapefor interfitting relation, to so form a continuous circle when saidinner leaf members are so moved into said slots defined between theouter leaf members.

5. In an aerosol mounting cap expander apparatus as set forth in claim1, said apparatus and plug having complementary engaging meansforaxially so moving the plug member in said inner leaf members.

6. In an aerosol mounting cap expander apparatus as set forth in claim1, a guide portion on said apparatus for engaging the outside of theaerosol container to thereby register the inner and outer leaf portionswith the interior of said aerosol container.

1. An aerosol mounting cap expander apparatus for securing an aerosolvalve mounting cap to an interior offset end surface of a container, incontinuous, circumferential, pressure-sealed contact therewith, saidapparatus comprising: an elongated collet member, a plurality of outerleaf portions on the collet member disposed in circular relation andspaced from each other to define intermediate slot portions so that saidouter leaf portions will thereby define an interrupted and nonsolidcircle, a plurality of inner leaf portions on said collet memberinwardly of said outer leaf portions, said inner leaf portions beingspaced from each other to define intermediate slot portions so that saidinner leaf portions will define an interrupted and nonsolid circle ofsmaller diameter than that defined by the outer leaf portions, and anelongated plug member positioned at one end of said apparatus, for axialmovement in said apparatus interiorly of said inner leaf portions, saidplug member being so proportioned that it may be moved to engage theinner leaf portions and move the same progressively into the slotsdefined between the outer leaf portions, to form therewith a continuouscircle of leaves to engage the aerosol valve mountinG cap and therebyroll the same onto said end surface of the container in continuous,sealed relation therewith.
 2. In an aerosol mounting cap expanderapparatus as set forth in claim 1, said plug member and inner leafportions having complementarily formed portions such that, when saidplug member is so moved in said inner leaf portions, said plug memberwill so engage and move said inner leaf portions into the slots definedbetween the outer leaf portions.
 3. In an aerosol mounting cap expanderapparatus as set forth in claim 1, said inner and outer leaves beingformed complementarily for interfitting relation, to so form acontinuous, unbroken circle when the plug member so moves the inner leafmembers into the slots intermediate the outer leaf members.
 4. In anaerosol mounting cap expander apparatus as set forth in claim 1, saidinner and outer leaves being formed of complementary wedge shape forinterfitting relation, to so form a continuous circle when said innerleaf members are so moved into said slots defined between the outer leafmembers.
 5. In an aerosol mounting cap expander apparatus as set forthin claim 1, said apparatus and plug having complementary engaging meansfor axially so moving the plug member in said inner leaf members.
 6. Inan aerosol mounting cap expander apparatus as set forth in claim 1, aguide portion on said apparatus for engaging the outside of the aerosolcontainer to thereby register the inner and outer leaf portions with theinterior of said aerosol container.